Beyond(42)

I’d just gotten dressed when I heard crashing sounds from somewhere close by. Running out of my room, I saw two men fighting in the hallway.

My two men.

Dane and Sam.

My husband, and my best friend.

“What’s going on?” I call out, running to both of them.

Dane has Sam in a headlock. He’s bigger than Sam, and although Sam is tough, Dane is more skilled. Dane is a trained killer. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to go up against him.

I slap Dane’s shoulder. “Dane, what the hell?”

Strong arms come around me, lifting me away.

Lars.

I squirm, and try to knee him in the balls.

“Stop it,” he growls, shaking me. “If you get hit accidentally both of them are going to hate themselves.”

“They’re going to kill each other,” I grit out as Dane punches Sam. “Dane is going to kill him!”

“He won’t,” Lars says, sounding sure.

I turn to him. “That’s your f*cking boyfriend getting the shit beat out of him! Do something!”

Lars smiles sadly, shaking his head slightly. Catching him off guard, I elbow him in the stomach with all my might and return to Dane. Sam pushes Dane off him and I take that opportunity to get between them. I put a hand up on Dane’s chest.

“That’s enough!” I yell, my eyes pleading with his. He nods, so I turn to my best friend, whose nose is dripping blood. I rip off my sleeve and hand it to him. “Hold this to your nose Sam.”

“Sam has something to tell you,” Dane booms, making me jump. I glance at him and then back at Sam, wondering what the hell this could be about.

Sam’s throat works as he swallows. He looks nervous, which makes me nervous. “Your father told me, that if I came out as gay… He would kick me out.”

My eyes widen. “I would have never let that happen.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” he replies, his eyes watering. “Which is why it was me that poisoned him. It wasn’t Lars. His time to lead was over. It was your turn to shine Olivia. You always let me, and everyone else be who they are.”

“Sam,” I whisper, shaking my head no.

No.

He’s my best friend.

My rock.

He taught me everything he knew.

No.

He wouldn’t do this to me. He couldn’t.

“You wouldn’t do this,” I say in a hoarse voice that doesn’t sound like my own. “You wouldn’t.”

I was one of his favorite people in the world.

No.

I slide down on the floor, my back going against the wall.

People talk, but I don’t hear what they say.

I don’t hear anything.

Silence.

Blessed silence.

Darkness swallows me whole.





I open my eyes and see Dr. James concerned face. “You fainted.”

“I did,” I say, my throat parched. “Can I have some water?”

He nods and helps me sit up, then passes me a cup. I take a few sips then hand it back to him.

“Do you remember what happened?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest and studying me with an intensity that has me squirming.

I think back.

Sam.

Betrayal.

Pain blooms in my chest, and spreads throughout my body, “Yes,” I whisper.

“It wasn’t Lars, I was wrong. But I was right about him being killed,” he says sadly. “I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t even talk about it.

I didn’t know what to say.

I was shocked.

I still didn’t believe it, I couldn’t.

My Sam wouldn’t do something like this.

He was light.

Fuck, it hurt.

Badly.

“Dane just left,” Dr. James continues. “He was with you all night, watching over you.”

“Where did he go?”

“He was going to see if he could make you some broth,” he says. “Olivia when was your last period?”

I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry again. “Ummmm.”

Fuck.

I hadn’t had my period since I married Dane. And I’d remember. We usually didn’t have feminine products left so we had to use a piece of cloth. It wasn’t pretty.

“Fuck,” I say out loud this time.

Dr. James laughs. “Yes, I think you’re pregnant. Your father would be happy to think that the prophecy was coming true. If you had a son, of course, everyone would think he would be the one to save humanity.”

Poor kid. No pressure or anything, jeez.

“That prophecy was made up,” I mutter.

By my own husband.

“I know,” he winks. “Your father was the only one who bought that whole tirade.”

“Did you tell Dane?”

“He’s the one who asked me. He said he thought you could be pregnant.”

Great, he knew my body better than I did.

I sigh dramatically. “You better be here to deliver my baby.”

Dr. James laughs. “I’m not that old. I still have a century or so in me.”

“Good.”

“We need to train more healers and midwives,” he says, walking to the window staring out of it. “What are you going to do with Sam?”